Organizing your home may seem like a daunting task, but it’s not impossible! The best way to make your resolution stick is to make gradual, sustainable changes to your lifestyle – and your home is no exception. If you’re planning on getting organized in the new year, try to set aside a little bit of time every day to organize a small area instead of committing to a weekend organize-a-thon. That way, cleaning and organizing becomes a habit, and a regular part of your schedule! Plus, you won’t be able to let yourself say “well, I’ll get to it this weekend…” any longer. Go ahead and get storage crazy this weekend – but get started now!

Here is a collection of some of our favorite tips, tricks, and ideas for getting organized.

Closets

Just getting started? Take everything out. Whether it’s the pantry, bedroom closet, or linen storage, you can’t properly inventory what you have in there until you get everything in plain sight.

When you put your clothes back in the closet, turn the hangers backwards. When you wear an item and return it to the closet, turn the hanger forwards. At the end of each season, you’ll know which items you wore and which items sat idle. Donate any items that you haven’t worn to your local thrift store to create more room!

Use shower curtain rings on a wooden hanger to create wrinkle-free storage for scarves.

Take advantage of vertical space in utility closets by hanging racks, shoe organizers, or baskets on the back of the door. You can also hang organizers from tension rods to easily create shelving inside!

Use totes and baskets on the top shelf to maximize the use of that space. Clear totes with labels help remind you what’s up there.

Rotate your closets seasonally: store your sweaters and heavy blankets in totes for the summer, and fill their space in the closet with lighter clothes and sheets. This seasonal shift will help you remember to go through your items and donate what you don’t need.

Store sheet sets inside their corresponding pillow cases for easy location later on

Kitchen

Use drawer dividers or small baskets to keep clutter contained. For a more thrifty version, use re-purposed check boxes, egg cartons, baby food jars, shoe boxes, or other small packages.

Letter organizers make great container lid organizers! Sort them by size for easy location later on.

Clear clutter from your counters by attaching thin sheets of metal to the underside of your cabinets, and adding a magnetic strip to the tops of containers. This is a handy way to store spices, utensils, and other objects that may be taking up precious counter space.

Garage

Use sections of PVC pipe attached to the wall to hold shovels, rakes, and other tools upright.

Pegboard isn’t just for tools – use it to hang coats, boots, and backpacks.

Use a large cardboard tube to neatly store spare lengths of pipe, and lumber.

Kid’s Room

Use a color coordinated system: assign each family member a different color, or each type of item (toys, clothes, etc) a different color. That way little ones can easily identify their storage color, and (hopefully) return items with ease.

Use stacked lengths of PVC pipe for fun, modular shoe storage. This is also great for art supplies!

Hang a shoe organizer or mesh laundry bag on the back of the door for stuffed animal storage

Display works of art by stringing twine across the wall and using clothes pins to clip on masterpieces.

General

Did we say drawer dividers? For the sock drawer, tool cabinet, Lego storage, and makeup space – drawer dividers will help reign in the chaos.

If your storage solution is not see-thru, use labels! You’ll thank yourself later. Create your own, or search the internet for printable freebies!

Try to work on one space at a time. If you start organizing the cabinets, stick with them until you finish! Trying to organize too many spaces at once can make the task feel overwhelming.

Remember: it’s always easier to organize your home if you have less stuff in it! Consider donating gently used clothing, appliances, furniture, dishes, and other household items to your local thrift store.